Rug scrubbing machine



Jan- 27 953 w. PETERSEN RUG scRUBBING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed April 12, 1948 W. L. PETERSEN RUG SCRUBBING MACHINE Jan.2'1 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April l2, 1948 Jan. 27, 1953 w. PETERSEN v 2,626,412

RUG SCRUBBING MACHINE Filed April 12, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Jan. 27, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RUG SCRUBBING MACHINE Application April 12, 1948, Serial No. 20,390

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to a rug scrubbing machine and has, as its principal object, the provision of a portable rug scrubbing machine adapted to shampoo rugs on a floor surface, yet so designed as to be capable of unusual ease of control and to thus avoid the tendency of prior machines to move over the surface of the rug in an uncontrolled manner, as a result of the friction of the scrubbing brush on the rug.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine, wherein a single motor-driven rotary brush is utilized as the scrubbing element, together with means for supporting the brush for rotation on a substantially upright, but slightly tilted axis, so that the brush engages the floor surfaces on one of its center sides only, and avoids the tendency of prior machines to creep or wander when in use.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a machine having the functional characteristics indicated, with means to facilitate easy adjustment of the precise angle of the axis of rotation to suit the machine to operation on rugs having varying thicknesses and diiierent depths of nap.

A still further object of the invention resides in the provision of a rug scrubbing machine of iiexible mechanical design, so that it may alternately be utilized as a scrubbing device with the brush and its driving means supported on a shiftable carriage and arranged to contact the rug surface lightly, but may also be utilized as a floor polishing device wherein the entire weight of the machine, including the machine brush, housing and driving motor is directly supported on a rotary polishing brush.

A still further object of the invention resides in the provisi-on of a rug scrubbing machine including a machine housing, driving motor and speed reduction gearing supported ona traveling carriage to maintain the brush in precise angular relationship with the surface of the rug, together with guiding means including a manually operable handle pivoted to the machine and designed to include a reservoir of substantial capacity for the rug shampoo, with a liquid supply system including a manually actuated control valve to govern the iiow cf the shampooing liquid from the reservoir to the brush.

rlhe manner in which the foregoing objects are accomplished in the present invention is best eX- plained by reference to the drawings attached to and forming a part of the present specification, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational View of a rug scrubbing machine, constructed in accordance with the teachings of this invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmental side elevational view of the machine frame, motor housing, scrubbing brush and carriage, the view being partly in section through the center line of the brush.

Figure 3 is a plan sectional view of the frame casting and brush carriage of the machine;

Figure 4 is a detail sectional View taken substantially on the plane of the line 4--4 of Figure 1; and

Figure 5 is a fragmental view of the lower portion of the machine handle, showing the arrangement of the shampoo reservoir and control valves therefor.

The machine consists in general of a frame or brush carriage including a main casting I0, motor housing II and supporting cradle I2, together with an upwardly extending handle portion I3 pivoted to the carriage by a bifurcated yoke I4, so that an operator may convenientlyV guide the carriage over the surface of the floor. The main casting II) has a fixed brush stud 20 mounted therein, and the stud carries a pair of bearings I5 on which the rotating parts of the brush assembly are mounted. The rotating assembly includes a spur gear I6 having a sleeve-like hub I'I, in which the outer races of the bearings are seated, and in the preferred construction the lower end of the hub is closed by a plug I8. A generally flat brush mounting iitting or disc I9 is secured to the gear I6 by a plurality of machine screws 2 I, so that the disc rotates with the gear. The fitting I9 is in turn detachably joined to a mating disc 22 by interlocking clips 23, and the relatively rigid back plate 2li of the brush is secured to the disc 22 by the screws 25, so that the brush is secured to and carried by the disc, yet can be removed from the machine by disengaging the clips 23 to release the disc 22 from its mating disc I9. The bristles 26 of the brush extend downwardly to the floor surface, and While the bottom surface of the brush may be entirely at, if desired, it has been found of advantage to trim the bristles in such a manner that the lower suriace'of the brush is slightly conical, in order that when the brush is supported on a slightly tilted axis, as shown, it will contact the floor surface only on one side of its center.

The brush is driven by an electrical motor carried within the housing II and arranged to act through any suitable speed reduction gearing to rotate a stub shaft 28 and thus drive the pinion 29, which is in mesh with the spur gear I6. A closure plate 3I is provided below the gears so that foreign matter is excluded from the gear chamber, and the plate may be secured in position by a plurality of screws 32. The main casting I includes a downwardly extending ange 33 around the edges of the brush, and this flange is preferably provided with an annular bead 34 at its lower edge, with a rubber bumper strip 35 immediately above the bead.

The casting I0 is supported in the cradle I2, which includes a metal ring 36 extending completely around the lower edge of the flange 33 and interlocking with the bead 34, so that the two castings may be securely clamped together by tightening the thumb 4screw 31, mounted on an upwardly extending bracket 38 formed as an integral part of the cradle casting. The cradle casting also includes a pair `of outwardly extending feet 39 at each side of the machine and slightly forward of the axis of rotation of the brush, and a rear caster bracket 4I at the zback; ,AY pair of casters .42 .are mounted on vertical swivels 43 *in Yeach of the 'feet 3B, so `'that :the lweight of the machine vis supported largely on these forward casters, but partially `.on a caster'44 carried on a vertically adjustable mount located on the bracket 4I at the rear of'the'machine. For this purpose the outwardly extending bracket 4I is provided with a vertical vbore 41, and al vertically shiftable adjusting :stud 48 is mounted in the bore. The stud 48 includes a helical groove I in its outer surface, anda spring pressed ball vdetent 52 is provided dnthe wall of the bore 41 to ridel in the groove, so Athat the stud may'bescrewed up or down by rotating the hand knob 53. The groove 5I isprovided witha number of drilled ball sockets vSil at spaced points, however, and these sockets are vof suflicient depth so that when the ball 52 vseats vin one of the sockets 54 the shaft will bexheld in position securely enough to support .the weight'it carries. A yieldable skirt 56 may be ,Secured to the lower edge of the ring 36 to prevent the movement of the brush from splashing ylather outwardly vfrom the machine.

From the above, it will be seen that the weight `of 'the machine does not rest primarily on the brush, but is supported on the side casters 42 and the rear ca-ster 44. It is to be noted, however, that the vertical adjustment of the stud 48 permits the back of the machine -to kbe raised or lowered with respect to the forWa-rd portion thereof, and thus permits a precise adjustment of the angularity of the axis of rotation of the brush, so that'it may be set 'tocontactthe floor at the exact angle desired.

The handle I3 of the `machine has its yoke I4' pivoted on av pair of studs 52 on the opposite asdesof the motor housing Il, so that the opterator may guide the machine manually by grasping the hand grips 65, but the handle, as shown, also includes a tank or reservoir for the fshampoo. This reservoir comprises an enlarged `cylinder or tank 66 concentric with the tubular yhandle I3, and extending from a point adjacent the yoke I4 upwardly approximately the full `length of the handle. A lling orice is provided at the upper end of the tank, with a closure cap 61. A exible hose 68 is provided to permit the ow of liquid shampoo from the reservoir directly into the brush chamber of the machine. The upper end of the hose 58 leads from a manually operable valve 69, connected Ato the lower end of the reservoir 66 through the petcock'1l to an inlet fitting 12, extending 'through'the top of the casting I0 and through `of the machine is accordingly increased.

.4 the plate 3| to discharge the liquid shampoo directly on the brush. The valve 69 is manually controlled by a pull rod 13, extending upwardly from the valve through a bracket 14 and terminating in a knob 15 immediately below one of the hand grips 65. Thus, in operation the operator may easily guide the machine in its vmovement across the floor by holding it by the hand grips and at the same time control the flow of shampoo by manipulation of the knob 15.

It is to be particularly noted, however, that since the weight of the machine is not carried by the brush, but is primarily supported by the casters 42 and 4.4. which are angularly adjustable with respect togeach other, the tendency of prior scrubbing machines to wander over the vrug V.surfacein an uncontrollable manner is largely avoided and the usefulness and eiiiciency It is also to be noted that this construction and arrangement of parts permits themachine cradle, including the casters and flexible skirt carried thereby, to be entirely removed from the casting of the machine if desired; and it follows that it is entirely practicable to remove this mechanism, substitute a waxing or polishing brush for the -scrubbing brush, and utilize the machine as a floor polishing device.

The form of the device herein disclosed and illustrated in the present drawings is the present preferred commercial embodiment of the teachings of this invention and represents the preferred form in which the inventive concept is now commercially utilized. It is to be recognized, however, that the scope of the inventive thought is not limited to the precise structure shown, but extends equally to any variation or modification thereof, coming within the scope .of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, Iwhat I claim as new and desire to protect by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In a rug scrubbing machine having a main frame, the combination of a brush housing on said frame, a flat circular scrubbing brush having a relatively rigid back plate rotatably mounted in said housing, with the bristles of the brush extending downwardly therefrom, and with a circular rim on the housing surrounding the rigid back plate of said brush; means for rotating the brush, and a supporting cradle constructed and arranged to hold the bristles of the 'brush above a oor and in predetermined iixed angular relationship therewith; said cradle consisting of a circular ring havinga pair of feet on opposite sides thereof, an outward extension projecting therefrom, and a caster on said outward extension; with an adjustable ring tilting support constructed and arranged to raise and lower one side of said ring with respect to said caster; said tilting support being mounted on said ring and including a manually operable hand control thereon; the ring having a flexible skirt surrounding the brush, and having on its upper surface an annular surface receiving the rim of the brush housing, together with at least one mounting bracket extending from the ring upwardly above the rim of the brush housing, and manually releasable means mounted on and extending inwardly from said bracket and engaging the sides of the brush housing above its rim and securing the rim of the brush housing in position on the ring.

In a rug scrubbing machine having a main frame, the combination of a brush housing on said frame, a fiat circular scrubbing brush having a. relatively rigid back plate rotatably mounted in said housing, with the bristles of the brush extending downwardly therefrom, and with a circular rim on the housing surrounding the rigid back plate of said brush; means for rotating the brush, and a supporting cradle constructed and arranged to hold the bristles of the brush above a floor and in predetermined fixed angular relationship therewith; said cradle consisting of la circular ring having a pair of feet on opposite sides thereof, an outward extension projecting therefrom, and a caster on said outward extension; with an adjustable ring tilting support constructed and arranged to raise and lower one side of said ring with respect to said caster; said tilting support being mounted on said ring and including a manually operable hand control thereon; the ring having a flexible skirt surrounding the brush, and having on its upper surface an annular surface receiving the rim of the brush housing, together with manually releasable means securing the rim of the brush housing in position on the ring.

3. A supporting cradle for a rug scrubbing machine constructed and arranged to hold the bristles of the scrubbing machine brush above a floor land in predetermined fixed angular relationship therewith; said cradle consisting of a circular ring having a pair of feet on opposite sides thereof, an outward extension projecting therefrom, and a caster on said outward extension; with an adjustable ring tilting support constructed and arranged to raise and lower one side of said ring with respect to said caster; said tilting support being mounted on said ring and in- 35 cluding a manually operable hand control thereon; the ring having a flexible skirt adapted to surround the brush of the scrubbing machine, and having on its upper surface an annular surface to receive the rim of the brush housing of said machine; together with at least one mounting bracket extending upwardly from the ring and manually releasable means mounted on and extending inwardly from said bracket and adapted to engage the scrubbing machine and secure it in position on the ring.

WILLIAM L. PETERSEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the flle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 263,448 Withey Aug. 29, 1882 476,213 Raymond May 31, 1892 952,130 Mueller Mar. 15, 1910 1,299,989 Miller Apr. 8, 1919 1,498,255 Winchester June 17, 1924 1,536,615 Majusik May 5, 1925 1,609,508 Cavicchi Dec. 7, 1926 1,626,742 Lockwood May 3, 1927 1,650,035 Peterson Nov. 22, 1927 1,773,992 Gillis Aug. 26, 1930 1,818,872 Sproston Aug. 11, 1931 2,097,806 Weidrich Nov. 2, 1937 2,114,966 Myers Apr. 19, 1938 2,153,481 Ponselle Apr. 4, 1939 2,221,315 Okun Nov. 12, 1940 2,443,001 Frendo June 8, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 207,364 Great Britain Nov. 29, 1923 

